Holder and fixture for tubular lamps



Sept. 18, 1945. A. G. MUELLER ET AL HOLDER AND FIXTURE FOR TUBULAR LAMPS Filed Nov. 8, 1945 mmna w w o awfi n t a r nM D e. t wm m mwwm dHF wm 3 .FW

Patented Sept. 18, 1945 nouma AND FIXTURE Foa mama LAMPS Adolf G. Mueller and William R. Young, Fair-field,

and Frederick C. Dazley, Stratiord, Conn., assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of N ewYork Application November 8, 1943, Serial No. 509,422

3 Claims. (Cl. 173328) The present invention relates to holders and fixtures ior tubular lamps with contact terminals at opposite ends of the tubular element. Most of the present lamp fixtures and lamp holders require lateral insertion of the lamp and subsequent turning in the lamp holders. Dimculties have heretofore been experienced due to the lamps becoming loose and falling from the lamp holders, especially when subject to vibration as in factory buildings.

One object of our invention is to provide an improved fixture for tubular lamps, especially of the fluorescent type with prongs at opposite ends whereby the lamps are safely held in the lamp holders and the danger of loosening and dropping from the holders is practically eliminated.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved holder or socket for lamps of the kind above specified.

For a consideration of what we believe to be novel and our invention, attention is directed to the following description and the claims appended thereto in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates a lamp fixture with a fluorescent lamp mounted thereon in accordance with our invention, and Fig. 2 is an exploded, perspective view of a lamp holder or socket used in the arrangement of Fig. 1.

The fixture shown in Fig. 1 comprises two spaced lamp holders i ii mounted on a support H which may be made of plastic material provided with a reflecting surface facing the holders. A tubular lamp it with prongs it on opposite ends is mounted on the lamp holders it. Each lamp holder, as shown in Fig. 2, comprises a base or casing it which in the present instance is cylindrical with a flanged open end it and a bottom it with two openings i'l through which wires may be passed. The cylindrical casing has an internal rib or projection It extending axially of the casing and two diametrically opposite openings or slots is near the flanged end IS. The casing is supported on a bracket 28 which may be secured to the aforementioned support M, Fig. 1, by means of screws 2i (Fig. 1). A contact or terminal plate 22 is disposed in the open end ofthe casing. This contact or terminal plate in the present example includes two insulating disks 23 and 24. Each disk has a pair of spaced openings 25. The openings of disk 24 are countersunk. The disk 23 in addition has pairs of slots 26 and 21 on opposite sides of the respective openings 25. Terminals 28 and 29 may be assembled on the disk 23. Each terminal has a leg 30 for engaging a lamp contact and a pair oi lugs 3| which during assembly are inserted through the openings 26 and 21 and subsequently bent over whereby the terminals 23, 23 are rigidly secured to the disk 23. Separate wires 32, 33 are secured to the terminals, 23, preferably by fusion. After the terminals are secured to the disk 23 the other disk 24 is attached to the front of the disk 23 when viewed in Fig. 2 by means of rivets 34 extending through aligned openings 35 in the disks 23, 24. The disk 2| serves primarily as a means to insulate the terminal lugs 3| on the face of the disk 23. After the disks 23, 24 have been secured together and the wires 32, 33 attached to the terminals 28, 23 respectively the contact assembly may be slid into the casing together with a spring 36 which is helical and of a diameter of the order of the inner diameter of the cylindrical casing. Prior to the insertion into the casing of the spring and the contact assembly the wires 32, 33 are passed through the openings I! in the bottom of the casing. The spring 36 serves to bias the contact assembly, more particularly the disks 23, 24, towards the open flanged end it of the easing. The outward movement of the disk from the casing is limited by means oi stops 31, 38 which are preferably formed by inwardly bent portions iii a curved spring 39 applied to the outside of the cylindrical casing with the stops or inwardly bent portions 31, 3% extending through the openings or slots 69 of the casing.

The disks 23, 24 have aligned openings or notches for cooperation with the axial projection it on the casing is to position the terminal plate angularly on the casing.

In order to assemble a tubular lamp on two spaced holders of the kind just described, one end of the lamp is inserted through the openings 25 in the plate 22 of one of the holders. During such insertion the lamp is held at an angle to the center line of such holder. Thereupon the lamp isforced towards the holder, thus forcing the plate 22 into the casing against the biasing force of the spring 36 until the other prongs or terminals of the lamp may be inserted into the openings 25 of the other lamp holder. The lamp is then permitted to move towards the other lamp holder until it is in a central position in which the springs 36 of the two lamp holders are equally compressed or until the contact terminal plate 22 of the first-mentioned lamp holder engages again the stops 31, 38. Conversely, when it is desired to remove a lamp from a fixture of the kind described, it is necessary first to force the lamp axially into one of the lamp holders until the prongs at the other end of the lamp are freed from the other lamp holder whereupon the lamp may be moved at an angle away from the fixture.

Thus, with our invention we have accomplished an improved construction and arrangement of holders and fixtures for tubular lamps. lamp holder or socket according to our invention is simple in construction, consisting of few parts that may be produced at low cost by simple forming, molding and punching operations. With lamp holders according to our invention the danger of lamps detaching themselves from the holders is practically eliminated. Fixtures according to our invention do not require great accuracy as regards the spacing of the lamp holders and with a fixed spacing of the holders inaccuracies in length of the lamps are readily taken care of.

Having described the method of operation of our invention, together with the apparatus which we now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 01" the United States, is:

l. Holder for tubular lamps comprising a casing forming a'cylindrical chamber with an axialy extending internal projection, the casing having an open end and diametrically opposite slots near the open end, a contact'assembly including a plate with contacts mounted thereon disposed in the open end, a helical spring of a diameter of the order of the diameter of the chamber disposed in the casing to bias the plate towards the open end, and stop means in the diametrically opposite slots to limit outward movement of the plate, the plate having a notched edge cooperat- The ing with the projection in the chamber to locate the plate angularly relative to the casing.

2. Holder for tubular lamps comprising a casing having a cylindrical chamber open at' one end andwith circumferentially spaced openings near said end, a contact assembly including a .plate disposed in the open end of the chamber.

a spring of a diameter oi? the order 01' that of the chamber disposed therein to bias the plate towards the opening, means limiting outward movement of the plate comprising a spring ring segment having spaced inwardly bent portions applied to the outer wall of the casing with said portions extending through said circumferentially spaced openings to engage the front of said plate.

3. Holder for tubular lamps comprising a casing forming a cylindrical chamber open at one end having an axially extending rib and circumferentially spaced slots near said open end, a contact assembly comprising a plate having an inner disk with contacts mounted thereon and an outer disk attached to the inner disk, said outer disk being constructed of insulating material and having openings in alignment with said contacts for receiving the. lamp contact means, said plate being located in the open end of the chamber and having a recess for accommodating said rib, a helical spring having sliding fit with the cylindrical wall of the chamber for biasing the plate towards the open end, and stop means limiting outward movement of the plate consisting of a spring ring segment applied to the outer wall of the casing and having inwardly bent portions projectin through said circumferentially spaced slots and engaging the front of said plate.

ADOLF G. MUELLER. WILLIAM R. YOUNG. FREDERICK C. DAZLEY. 

